This invention generally relates to equipment supports, and more particularly, to supports for equipment which allows the equipment to be safely withdrawn from a substructure for servicing and maintenance.
Refrigerated containers are utilized by the military to transport and store a variety of items, such as food and medical supplies. Designed for a variety of use conditions, they are often transported to remote locations with harsh environments. In such instances, electrical power for the containers is provided by electrical generators which are attached to the containers. The size of a refrigeration container used by the military may be on the order of about 8-foot wide, by 8-foot high, by 20-foot long. A refrigeration container of this size would have an interior refrigeration volume of about 7-foot, by 7-foot, by 16-foot long. The internal temperature of the container is controlled by an environmental control unit, which is designed to maintain the contents at stable temperatures between 0 and 40 degrees under varying conditions. For refrigeration containers of this size, power for the environmental control unit may be on the order of a 10 kilowatt generator.
To prevent damage to the generators and other equipment during shipping and use, it is necessary to ensure that the equipment is securely mounted to the containers. It is also necessary to periodically service and repair the generators and other equipment to check coolant levels, hoses, fan belts, filter elements, oil levels, and electrical connections. Depending on the particular configuration of the container and the manner in which the generator and other equipment such as compressors and pumps are mounted on the container, complete access to the generator and other equipment may be restricted. This becomes particularly important when the generator and other equipment must be serviced and repaired, often during severe use conditions.
To access a generator or other equipment for maintenance or servicing, the the equipment may be either removed from the container or mounted on moveable platforms in such manner that the equipment can be repositioned on the container for better access to the equipment. Generators and other equipment for containers must be mounted so that structural specifications, transport requirements, and safety guidelines are satisfied. Tests to certify that the various requirements have been met may include drop tests, vibration tests, road shock tests, and fatigue tests. In addition, for moveable platforms, the platform must meet safety standards for the various positions of use.